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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: craft · court · stick · hide · board · band · mug · arm

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. mug — to rob
  5. board — to get on
  6. band — a ring
  7. mug — a cup
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. board — a committee
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. court — of a king
  14. band — a music group
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. craft — boats
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. mug — a face
  20. court — for sport
  21. craft — a skill
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. board — a flat piece

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com